Trump demands Jeffries be charged

President Donald Trump has called for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to be charged with inciting violence following the assassination scare at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

Trump pointed to Jeffries' use of 'maximum warfare' rhetoric in relation to election maps as the inspiration for the attack.

Jeffries dismissed the accusation as a 'deranged rant,' noting that his comments were focused on the legal battle over gerrymandering in New York.

The president's demand has intensified the partisan divide on Capitol Hill, as Republicans seek to link Democratic rhetoric to recent threats against government officials.

Law enforcement officials have not indicated that Jeffries' remarks played any role in the motivations of the accused shooter.